Networking Hall and Exhibit Showroom

3rd Floor Atrium and 4th Floor Foyer

Registration

4th Floor Foyer

Calculating the ROI on Your Communications

Harvard, 3rd Floor

Measuring the effectiveness of communication isn’t enough anymore. This session will show how organizations have calculated the return on investment (ROI) for both internal and external communication. Learn you how to build measurements into your communication planning process in a way that you can later calculate the return on your organization’s communication investment.

Angela Sinickas, ABC, IABC FellowCEO, Sinickas Communications, Inc.

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Essential Communication Skills for Leaders: The Digital Edition

Boston University, 3rd Floor

Successful leaders are great communicators who use a variety of oral, written and nonverbal communication skills to inspire employees, attract and retain customers, secure investors and manage operations. In this workshop, you’ll learn how technology impacts leadership communication, the digital communication skills leaders must have, and how you can work with leaders to effectively use digital channels.

Blythe CampbellSenior Director of Communications and Marketing, NANA Development Corporation

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PR Boot Camp

Vineyard, 4th Floor

The symbiosis between public relations and journalism is longstanding, so for many it is a natural transition into the profession. This boot camp will equip you with the knowledge and information you need to build your new career in the public relations industry, whether you are a reporter, recent graduate or transitioning professional.

Public Relations Strategic Planning

Hyannis, 4th Floor

Too often our strategic plans are short-changed by time, budget and know-how. This workshop will teach you how to build a comprehensive, behavioral strategic plan, plus give you an opportunity to begin to develop the framework of a strategic plan you can use.

So, I’m a Manager. Now What? Proven Tactics for Supervising and Leading Teams

MIT, 3rd Floor

Everyone wants to achieve success on teams, but too often we fail at giving feedback, being empathetic and handling awkward situations. Learn how to engage your team and build and maintain an inclusive environment.

Rochelle L. Ford, Ph.D., APRProfessor and Chair, Public Relations Department, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

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Coffee With PRSSA Students!

Boston Park Plaza50 Park Plaza
Boston, Mass. 02116-3912

Start your day off with a free cup of coffee and meet the great PRSSA students attending this year’s Conference.

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Newcomers Orientation

Boylston, 1st Floor

Meet other first-time attendees, and find out how to optimize both your Conference experience and your PRSA membership.

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Take Charge of Your Career Trajectory: Put the “APR” in YOUR Professional Portfolio

Simmons, 3rd Floor

There are dozens of barriers to getting your APR, but not one good reason to let another year pass without adding this credential to your professional portfolio of accomplishments! Through three distinct sections, this session will address how updates to the process make it easier and more efficient than ever to study, prep and pass the 2-step examination process and earn this prestigious designation; how to knock down barriers to success; and why getting your APR matters.

Judy Katzel, APRPresident, KDK Consulting Group

Mitchell Marovitz, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSAProfessor and Chair, Public Relations, University of Maryland University College

Christian OussiExecutive Director of Relations and Media, Lebanese American University

Katerina Tsetsura, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Strategic Communication, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Oklahoma

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The Brightest and Best Academic Research in Public Relations

St. Botolph, 2nd Floor

A PRSA International Conference program session featuring a cross section of articles recently published in PRSA’s Public Relations Journal and papers presented at this year’s International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC).

Choosing Ethics — Silence Is Not Golden

Wellesley, 3rd Floor

Whether related to day-to-day issues management or during times of crisis, ethics and ethical counsel are fundamental principles of strategic public relations. Practitioners will learn how to engage leadership in ethical discussions, when and what ethical questions to ask in the C-suite to build a strong corporate culture, and how ethics enhance corporate brand and reputation.

Increase Your Chapter’s Awareness and Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Tufts, 3rd Floor

With diversity and inclusion (D&I) an increasingly timely topic in business and society, local PRSA Chapters (and Districts) will want to assure their members and communities that the public relations field — and PRSA — are open and welcoming to all. This Your Society at Work session will provide Chapter leaders with tools and tips as well as an award-winning strategic case study for increasing their Chapter’s commitment to D&I through actionable strategies and tactics.

Five Easy Steps to Prepare for the APR Panel Presentation

Suffolk, 3rd Floor

Get ready for the APR Panel Presentation. Learn the five key steps in preparing for and conducting a presentation so you can be Advanced to the computer-based Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations.

Becoming a PR Leader: The Art and Science of Mentorship

Massachusetts, 5th Floor

Professional success requires more than a strong skill set; it also requires the support and counsel of others. This session draws on research findings and panelists’ experience to examine mentoring best practices and influence.

Diana Knott Martinelli, Ph.D.Widmeyer Professor in PR, West Virginia University

Keith BurtonPartner, Grayson Emmett Partners

Alicia Thompson, APRManaging Director, Porter Novelli

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Branded Newsrooms: Source, Service and Search: Rust-Oleum Case Study

Provincetown, 4th Floor

From press releases to branded articles, this session will educate and reaffirm the need to review your online newsroom. The session also will provide a look into the strategy behind the recently launched Rust-Oleum online newsroom (http://newsroom.rustoleum.com).

Building the Bridges to Success for New Professionals

Simmons, 3rd Floor

The latest survey from PRSA and the Institute for Public Relations investigated the strongest and weakest KSAs, level of emotional intelligence and grit of entry-level public relations professionals. This research will help equip leaders with an understanding of the skill gaps common to new professionals and offer ideas on how to Improve employee performance to drive innovation and business goals.

Laura KaneChief Communications Officer, PRSA

Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APRPresident and CEO, Institute for Public Relations

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Compel and Persuade

New Hampshire, 5th Floor

In this session, learn how to compel and persuade decision makers on how to best approach the world of corporate social responsibility and cause marketing. Learn how to lay the groundwork for success not only internally, but also with external stakeholders.

John Deveney, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSAPresident, Deveney

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Connecting Media Performance to Business Goals

St. Botolph, 2nd Floor

This session will cover basic and advanced best practices to connect your organization’s performance in traditional and social media to your organization’s progress in achieving its overall goals and objectives, and present a case study focusing on how the organization fared in media and public opinion polling.

Chris ScullySenior Media Intelligence Analyst, LexisNexis

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CSR Storytelling: How to Personalize a Social Issue and Elevate Your Brand

Suffolk, 3rd Floor

How do you get your CSR work to cut through social and traditional media overload? Learn how an integrated campaign that included award-winning videos shared on social, a thought leadership and executive visibility platform, and an innovative CSR report launch strategy drove stakeholder engagement, local and national media coverage, and increased corporate reputation.

This presentation highlights an extensive research study of millennial public relations professionals and their managers. It offers data-driven strategies for managing millennial PR professionals through a five-phase talent management ecosystem.

Juan Meng, Ph.D.Associate Professor, University of Georgia

Sarab Kochhar, Ph.D.Director of Research, Institute for Public Relations

Daniel O’DonnellDirector, Brunswick Group LLC

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Empathy: The Measurement of Emotion as a Communications Outcome

Maine, 5th Floor

This presentation introduces a quantitative approach to the tracking of a public’s emotions before and after communications programs. The goal is to better capture PR value in the age of instant news, disputed facts and media bubbles.

Victor Aimi, APRPresident, Verb Company

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Four Million and Counting — Facebook Live for Live Storytelling and Engagement

Tremont, 1st Floor

How do you decide when to go live? By the end of this session you will know how, when and why to use live video storytelling platforms, such as Facebook Live, to directly engage target audiences at scale.

Melissa TureskyManager, Branding Marketing, IBM

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From Risk to Readiness: Scenario Planning as a Tool for Your PR Strategies

Yarmouth, 4th Floor

Provide relevant counsel and a framework for clients and employers to identify and manage risks to their operations. Having a “B” and sometimes “C” plan will help an organization navigate, with speed and precision, through a variety of crisis scenarios.

Going Global: How to Adapt PR Strategies for Different Countries and Cultures

Tufts, 3rd Floor

The PR strategies that are effective in the U.S. are very different from what works best in China. Learn how to adapt your campaigns for global markets in this session that breaks the world into 10 cultural groups and explains best PR practices in each.

The key to any successful communications strategy is having clear goals and measures of success. This presentation will combine both a practical how to lesson in measuring the impact of an integrated communications approach with several successful case histories of how adding data to the mix can deliver dramatic business change.

Lessons From the Frontiers of Data Storytelling

Boston University, 3rd Floor

Stories and data work best when they work together. In this interactive session, learn best practices for linking stories and data to advance the goals of your organization with policymakers, media, donors, community members and more.

Make Video Work for You: Driving Media Outreach and Social Media Engagement

Vineyard, 4th Floor

*Session sponsored by PRSA Counselors to Higher Education* Video is essential to enhance storytelling, increase the chances of media pickup and invite greater social media engagement. Learn how to create it to best support press releases, pitches and social media interaction.

Matthew Nagel, APRManaging Director of Public Affairs, New York University

Steven NorrisAssistant Director of Social Media, Georgia Institute of Technology

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Relevance Is the New Reputation

Boylston, 1st Floor

In an age when information is ubiquitous and people move from one subject to another in the blink of an eye, if your brand, product, service or company isn’t on their radar, you don’t exist.

Gary GratesPrincipal, Corporate and Strategy, W2O Group

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Exhibit Refreshment Break

3rd Floor Atrium and 4th Floor Foyer

College of Fellows Mentoring Program

Columbus I and II, 1st Floor

Benefit from the valuable career advice offered by PRSA's most distinguished College of Fellows professionals, whether you are new to the field or a seasoned professional. You also can receive counseling to guide you through the College of Fellows application process.

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Being Your Best During Your Company’s Worst Days: Crisis Management

Boylston, 1st Floor

Nothing damages a company's reputation more than a poorly handled crisis. When an emergency situation arises, the right response is crucial to help protect your brand, and often your bottom line. Preparing for and responding to a crisis takes forethought.

The Enemy Effect: Embracing Fierce Opposition to Electrify Your Cause

Boston University, 3rd Floor

Contrary to common wisdom, fierce adversaries strengthen organizations, causes and the people behind them. Learn how smart communicators can harness the power of rivals and foes to build belonging, deepen loyalty and energize everyday initiatives.

Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSAPresident, McDougall Communications

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Find Your Strong: The PR Athlete

Vineyard, 4th Floor

A winning mindset is the key to becoming a successful PR pro. Whether your goal is to elevate your public relations career or complete your first 5K, adopting the winning mindset of a world-class athlete is essential to push the boundaries of human potential, taking on new challenges in our everyday lives.

Sharon BarbanoVice President, Public Relations, Saucony

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From Chaos to Control: How Big Data — and Artificial Intelligence — Are Transforming PR as We Know It

Vermont, 5th Floor

From Facebook to Twitter, from news outlets to bloggers to activists, the deluge of data from media and social sources is often overwhelming. This workshop will primarily focus on the evolution within media and social intelligence — and how you can best use it to your advantage to identify opportunities and mitigate risk for your brand.

Josh GinsbergCEO and Co-Founder, Zignal Labs

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How Communications Played a Leading Role in Apple’s Turnaround

Simmons, 3rd Floor

Learn from an Apple PR expert how to keep your communications simple. Learn how to use the Apple approach to media relations for your company or client. Learn to research what a reporter covers and make a tailored pitch, keeping communications focused, defining your key messages and sticking to them.

Cameron CraigGlobal Head, Corporate Communications, Polycom, Inc.

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In the Era of Fake News, How to Keep Your Brand’s Content Credible

Suffolk, 3rd Floor

The new threat to credible PR content creators is the amount of “fake news,” generated by (non-credible) communications professionals. Learn how media organizations are vetting “fake news,” and how to keep your content credible.

Lisa Arledge-PowellPresident, MediaSource

Robert MackleDirector, Media Relations, OSUWMC

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In the Wake of Tragedy: Best Practices From Orlando’s Nightclub Shooting

St. Botolph, 2nd Floor

When an unimaginable tragedy strikes your community or your business, are you prepared to respond and endure the short- and long-term impacts? Hear directly from a panel of public relations experts detailing their response to the Orlando nightclub shooting.

Heather FaganDeputy Chief of Staff for Orlando, Florida, Mayor, City of Orlando

Inside Innovation Inc: Creating an Agile Framework for Working Smarter

Harvard, 3rd Floor

Is innovation in PR and marketing dead? Innovation is more than just a big idea. This session will provide insights on how PR pros can have a startup attitude around innovation, creating value from new ideas, new technologies and a new way to work.

Brandi BoatnerDigital Experience Manager, IBM

Al ChenCo-Founder, Cooperatize

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Launching Through the Noise: How NASA Communicated Its Historic Year in Space

Provincetown, 4th Floor

Despite a reduction in budget, NASA completed a record-setting year. In this session, learn how NASA established an agency-wide strategy to refine, energize and focus its strategic communications efforts into dynamic campaigns that are deliberate and measurable.

Leadership When “It” Hits the Fan

Massachusetts, 5th Floor

The speed of eyewitness, social media coverage of every crisis should be the trigger that inspires all leaders to rethink their approach to crisis communications. Be the leader your executives trust, with a solid five-step process to preparedness.

Based on interviews with corporate and nonprofit practitioners working on either side of successful CSR programs, this panel will discuss best practices for building sustainable partnerships, as well as what future trends might look like moving forward.

Brooke Weberling McKeeverAssociate Professor, MMC Program Coordinator, University of South Carolina

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One Size Does Not Fit All: Building Crisis-Specific Communication Plans

Maine, 5th Floor

Effective crisis communication response is tailored to the situation. Advance scenario planning enables communicators to move more quickly to communicate with priority stakeholders in the early hours and days of an organizational crisis.

Stop Working for Nothing

Tufts, 3rd Floor

If you and your employees are working too hard and not earning enough, this is a must-attend session. You'll learn the simple actions you can take to build a strong, financially stable PR agency where you and your staff will have more time and fun.

Darryl SalernoPresident, Second Quadrant Solutions

Dana Phelps-HughensCEO/Founder, Clairemont Communications

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Tackling Big Data: You’re More of a PR Data Engineer Than You Think

Wellesley, 3rd Floor

Big data is everywhere. If you’re in PR, then your role requires you to audit your communications. Conference participants will get an inside look at a “before and after” approach used to audit Georgia Tech’s social media program and how to analyze data that proves value and improves your communications.

Deirdre BreakenridgeCEO, Pure Performance Communications

Steven NorrisAssistant Director of Social Media, Georgia Institute of Technology

Lack of financial literacy may pose a barrier for career advancement of PR professionals. This panel provides an overview of financial statements by corporations and nonprofits, and prepares attendees to tell a story based on financial information.